RecruitingPhase 3

A Study to Test Whether Vicadrostat in Combination With Empagliflozin Helps People With Heart Failure

EASi-HF Preserved - A Phase III Double-blind, Randomised, Parallel-group Superiority Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of the Combined Use of Oral Vicadrostat (BI 690517) and Empagliflozin Compared With Placebo and Empagliflozin in Participants With Symptomatic Heart Failure (HF: NYHA II-IV) and Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) ≥40%

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years and older
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Mentioned in the study description

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Procedures mentioned: Pills

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "The groups are: * Vicadrostat/empagliflozin group: participants take vicadrostat/empagliflozin as tablets once a day. * Placebo/empagliflozin group: participants take placebo/empagliflozin as tablets once a day."
Compensation
Mentioned in the study description
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether vicadrostat plus empagliflozin helps adults with heart failure symptoms whose heart pumps out at least 40% of the blood in its main pumping chamber with each beat. By chance, participants take either vicadrostat or a placebo (a pill with no study drug), along with empagliflozin, once a day.

This study is open to adults aged 18 or above legal age with heart failure. People can join the study if they have heart failure symptoms and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 40% or more. The purpose of this study is to find out whether vicadrostat (BI 690517) in combination with empagliflozin helps people with heart failure. Participants are put into 2 groups by chance. Every participant has an equal chance of being in each group. The groups are: * Vicadrostat/empagliflozin group: participants take vicadrostat/empagliflozin as tablets once a day. * Placebo/empagliflozin group: participants take placebo/empagliflozin as tablets once a day. Participants can stay in the study as long as they benefit from treatment and can tolerate it. During this time, they visit their doctors regularly. The doctors regularly check participants' health and take note of any unwanted effects. The study staff may also contact the participants by phone. Participants also regularly answer questions about their well-being. The study does not have a fixed duration. It continues until there is enough data to see if the treatment is working.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Be at least 18 years old and meet your country's legal age for consent. Sign a form agreeing to join.
  • If you can become pregnant, be willing and able to use highly effective birth control.
  • Have heart failure diagnosed at least 3 months before the first visit, with symptoms and a heart pumping measure (LVEF) of at least 40%.
  • Have a heart scan showing a thickened main pumping chamber or an enlarged upper left heart chamber.
  • Have a high NT-proBNP blood test result, a sign of heart strain. The required level depends on body size and heart rhythm.
  • Also meet at least one extra condition: take a water pill at a steady dose for at least 1 week, have a heart failure hospital stay in the past 6 months, have a higher NT-proBNP level, or meet the study's urine protein level.
  • Receive the best standard heart failure care, as judged by the study doctor, with exceptions for certain medicines.
  • Other rules for joining apply.

Who can't join

  • Use certain medicines within 14 days before the first visit, or need them during the study. These include spironolactone, eplerenone, finerenone, amiloride, and other water pills that keep potassium in the body. Do not stop an MRA medicine just to join.
  • Use certain other medicines that the study does not allow, including aliskiren, fludrocortisone, baxdrostat, or certain combinations of heart medicines.
  • Need certain medicines through a vein or machine support for suddenly worsening heart failure within 24 hours before group assignment, or an increased dose of a water pill through a vein within 6 hours.
  • Have a heart attack, stroke, mini-stroke, or major surgery within 90 days before group assignment, or have major planned surgery. A procedure to open a heart artery or an artery scan using iodine dye within 7 days also rules you out.
  • Have had a heart transplant, are waiting for one, or have an implanted pump that helps the left side of your heart.
  • Have certain heart muscle diseases, a tight sac around the heart, or recent heart inflammation. This includes some inherited diseases and heart damage from certain illnesses or treatments.
  • Have severe heart valve disease or need a procedure to treat a heart valve during the study.
  • Other rules may also prevent you from joining.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. At least 18 years old and at least of the legal age of consent in countries where it is greater than 18 years 2. Signed and dated written informed consent in accordance with ICH-GCP and local legislation prior to admission to the trial 3. Male or female participants. Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must be ready and able to use highly effective methods of birth control per International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) M3 (R2) that result in a low failure rate of less than 1% per year when used consistently and correctly. A list of contraception methods meeting these criteria and instructions on the duration of their use is provided in the participant information 4. Chronic Heart failure (HF) diagnosed at least 3 months before Visit 1, and in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II-IV at Visit 1, with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥40% per local reading. A historical LVEF may be used if it was measured within 12 months prior to Visit 1, or the LVEF may be measured after study consent has been obtained and before randomisation at Visit 2 5. Presence of structural heart abnormality (confirmed by any imaging modality; i.e. echocardiography at Visit 1, as defined by left ventricular hypertrophy or left atrial enlargement). Historical imaging may be used if performed within 12 months prior to Visit 1, or imaging may be completed after study consent has been obtained and before Visit 2 6. Elevated N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) at Visit 1, analysed at the central laboratory at Visit 1: 1. in participants with body mass index (BMI) \<27 kg/m²: ≥300 pg/mL for participants without atrial fibrillation (Afib) or atrial flutter (Aflutter) (at Visit 1 electrocardiogram (ECG)) and ≥900 pg/mL for participants with Afib or Aflutter (at Visit 1 ECG) 2. in participants with BMI ≥27 kg/m² to \<35 kg/m²: ≥220 pg/mL for participants without Afib or Aflutter (at Visit 1 ECG) and ≥660 pg/mL for participants with Afib or Aflutter (at Visit 1 ECG) 3. in participants with BMI ≥35 kg/m²: ≥125 pg/mL for participants without Afib or Aflutter (at Visit 1 ECG) and ≥375 pg/mL for participants with Afib or Aflutter (at Visit 1 ECG) 7. At least one of the following: * Currently treated with diuretic therapy e.g. loop diuretics or thiazides, and on a stable dose for at least 1 week prior to Visit 1 * Documented hospitalisation for HF within 6 months prior to Visit 1 * Elevated NT-proBNP at Visit 1, analysed at the central laboratory at Visit 1 * in participants without Afib or Aflutter (at Visit 1 ECG): ≥900 pg/mL * for participants with Afib or Aflutter (at Visit 1 ECG): ≥1800 pg/mL * Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥30 mg/g, analysed at the central laboratory at Visit 1 8. Treated according to best possible standard of care (SOC) (disregarding Sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs)) in accordance with applicable HF local/international guidelines and judgment of the investigator Further inclusion criteria apply. Exclusion criteria: 1. Treatment with an mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) (e.g. spironolactone, eplerenone, finerenone) within 14 days prior to Visit 1 or requiring such treatment before randomisation or planned during the trial based on the judgment of the investigator. Treatment with MRA should not be interrupted with the intention of enrolment into the study 2. Treatment with amiloride, or other potassium-sparing diuretic within 14 days prior to Visit 1 or requiring such treatment before randomisation or planned during the trial based on the judgment of the investigator 3. Receiving the following treatments: * a direct renin inhibitor (e.g. aliskiren) at Visit 2 * more than one angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) or angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) used simultaneously at Visit 2 * In case of acute decompensated HF: * i.v. inotrope, i.v. vasodilating drug (e.g. nitrate, nitroprusside), or i.v. natriuretic peptide (e.g. nesiritide, carperitide), or mechanical support (e.g. intra-aortic balloon pump, endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, any ventricular assist device) within 24 hours prior to randomisation (Visit 2) * i.v. diuretic with a dose that has been increased/intensified within 6 hours prior to randomisation (a stable dose of an i.v. diuretic is not exclusionary) * Systemic mineralocorticoid replacement therapy (e.g. fludrocortisone) at Visit 2 * Other aldosterone synthase inhibitors, e.g. baxdrostat at Visit 2 or planned during the trial 4. Myocardial infarction (MI), transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, heart valve surgery/intervention or any other major surgery (major according to the investigator's assessment) within 90 days prior to Visit 2, or scheduled for major elective surgery (e.g. hip replacement, coronary artery bypass graft surgery/CABG) 5. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ( scheduled or unscheduled) or any angiography using iodinated contrast agents in the 7 days prior to Visit 2 6. Heart transplant recipient, awaiting heart transplant, or currently implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) 7. Known cardiomyopathy based on infiltrative diseases (e.g. amyloidosis), accumulation diseases (e.g. haemochromatosis, Fabry disease), muscular dystrophies, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy or genetic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,known pericardial constriction, or cardiomyopathy with potentially reversible cause such as stress or peripartum cardiomyopathy or cardiomyopathy induced by chemotherapy within the 12 months prior to Visit 1 and until Visit 2 8. Acute inflammatory heart disease, such as acute myocarditis, within the 90 days preceding prior to Visit 1 and until Visit 2 9. Known severe valvular heart disease (obstructive or regurgitant), as per investigator's judgment, or valvular heart disease scheduled for surgical or invasive procedures at Visit 1, or anticipated invasive treatment during the study Further exclusion criteria apply.

Study sites (94)

AL

CA

CT

FL

GA

IA

ID

IL

IN

KS

KY

LA

MD

MI

MN

MO

MS

NC

NE

NJ

NY

OH

SC

SD

TN

TX

UT

VA

WA

WI